F1 calendar latest: New back-up plan for 2027 season-opener

The Chinese Grand Prix has emerged as a leading backup option to open the 2027 Formula 1 season if Bahrain and Saudi Arabia remain unavailable due to ongoing Middle East tensions stemming from a U.S.-Iran conflict that began in February. Earlier in the 2026 season, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were already cancelled, with a Malaysia replacement race funded by Bahrain slotted in for early October. F1 is expected to make decisions within the next few weeks that will determine both the remainder of the 2026 calendar and the 2027 season structure, including the fate of the season-closing Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.